Kristen Adamo of GoProvidence, the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, hopped the bus with John Flaherty and Jillian Finkle of Grow Smart RI up to Thayer Street to talk tourism, transportation, Main Streets and supporting small business through the CVB’s Buy Local RI program.
“Our organization books meetings, conventions and sporting events in Providence and throughout the state. In FY23, we booked 244 events worth a projected $93.8 million for Rhode Island. In competing with other destinations for that business, we tout the regions strengths, like it’s culinary scene, cultural offerings, and accessibility. One key to having a vibrant, accessible city is to have a safe, affordable, and easy-to-use public transportation system”, said Kristen Adamo. President and CEO of GoProvidence.
Between the booming events calendar and strong leisure travel, Providence drew nearly 7.5 MILLION visitors, spending more than $1.3 BILLION. So, this is serious business … state and local taxes from the visitor industry alone tallied $935 million in 2023, and sustaining 86,600 jobs statewide. So, how to optimize, grow and sustain this business in an ever-competitive marketplace … and without creating congestion and gridlock?
Many states are reinvesting a portion of their revenues into the infrastructure that supports both tourism … and residents alike.
In the 2024 elections, 46 of 53 public transit ballot measures nationwide earned the support of voters, a pass rate of nearly 87%. Mid-sized cities like Denver, Columbus, Nashville and Seattle are all investing in better transit that’s good for the economy, good for the environment and good for the wallet.
And good transit makes possible the vibrancy and foot traffic along Main Streets like Thayer, which was our destination.
Over coffee at Ceremony, we talked about the prospects for improving Main Streets all across Rhode Island and growing the economic returns. There’s a proven method for doing that through the National Main Street Center’s 4-Points approach. Jillian described Grow Smart’s initiative to establish a statewide Main Street Coordinating Program to better support the myriad merchant and volunteer groups working to activate vibrant Main Streets from Woonsocket to Westerly. Want to stay in the know about Main Street? Sign-up for our Main Street e-Newsletter here.
It was almost time to catch our return bus, so we left early enough to stop by Spectrum India and do a little local holiday shopping … but shhhhh, don’t spoil the surprise.
As we wrapped up our visit, one thing became clear: improved public transit can supercharge Rhode Island’s tourism industry while reducing traffic and congestion. Reliable, accessible transit networks make destinations more attractive and accessible to visitors, creating the seamless experience they expect while fueling the local economy. For Rhode Island, doubling down on investments in transit is not only a way to support residents but also a strategic way to sustain and grow our share of the tourism economy. With every new rider, every bustling Main Street, and every dollar reinvested, transit is an engine driving tourism’s powerful ripple effect across the Ocean State.
View more Rhodies-In-Transit HERE.
